Two major Discoveries

Two major discoveries occurred this week.

I was stunned by the revelation that Stella Artois was in fact not what it seemed and it had fallen from its lofty position of 5.2% abv to a much lower alcohol content. The once “reassuringly expensive” premier lager had quietly drifted into being a weaker concoction that was no longer top of the line in my humble opinion. To me this was a real eye opener.(See my previous post)

The second Earth shattering discovery of a particle that supported Higgs Boson theory was announced at CERN on 4th July 2012. As with a lot of “breakthroughs” that happen at the high end of Science, the Press get hold of the new concept and either dumb it down, or get a so-called expert in the field in question to explain in “lay man’s” terms how it affects day to day life of the average person in the street. These “experts” are normally socially inept academics who may be able to talk a lot about, in this case, Particle Physics but do not say much.

People want to hear that Higgs Boson can make their plasma telly work better, or their iPhone will need less battery charging time. They do not want to be tied down by quantum mechanics. Well I think that the common man is in for a disappointment, but at least we have come a few steps from the point where the tabloid red tops were scaring the living daylights out of some of the kids I taught at the time that the CERN project started. This was due to the fact that the kids were reliably informed by the tabloids that the World would end when the linear particle accelerator was switched on.

It is so much more reassuring that the Daily Star reports this week that the discovery…

means one day we could travel faster than the speed of light – like in Star Trek. Beam me up Scotty!

If you are happy with that explanation then do not watch the video below. I am quietly thinking to my self if the same tabloid had announced that Stella Artois could no longer be considered to be “wifebeater” it would create more of a stir!

The Higgs Boson Explained from PHD Comics on Vimeo.

You drink Stella Artois? Then read on…

Do you remember the old adverts for Stella Artois, which ended with the catch phrase “reassuringly expensive“?

Those adverts were being broadcast a few years ago and since then the product has changed some what. In the past 4 years Stella Artois has fallen from 5.2% to 4.8% and not many punters of good old “wifebeater” have noticed.

Stella Artois is the biggest selling lager in the UK  with annual “off-trade” sales alone totalling £500.3 million (according to Nielsen). Stella Artois  is made by Anheuser – Busch/Interbrew (AB InBev) who also produce Budweiser, Becks and a new beer product that will be in US stores soon labelled Lime-A-Rita  a so-called “refreshing ready-to-drink margarita with a twist of Bud Light Lime.”

Now this is all good, as we all like beer and beer products that taste of margarita. However, AB InBev have made two cuts in the strength of their no.1 selling lager in the UK.

In October 2008 the following press release was issued by AB InBev:

Stella Artois ABV and packaging changes
October 23rd, 2008

Recently we’ve had some questions about differences in the Stella Artois packaging and ABV. Here’s as an explanation as to we why we decided to make the changes:

As part of InBev UK’s investment into Stella Artois we introduced new primary and secondary packaging for Stella Artois. This packaging change is happening across the globe and began in the UK from September 2008.

We used this opportunity to harmonise the ABV of Stella across channels to 5% (it was at 5.1% in the on trade and 5.2% in the off trade.)

By harmonizing the ABV we are providing the consumer with consistency and clarity. This will have no impact on the taste of the brand but will allow consumers to enjoy a consistent strength lager at home or in the pub.

So we are given the opportunity to enjoy a consistent strength lager through harmonizing product packaging with our EU neighbours. So glad about that then, as I would have hated the decision to have been made on cost saving grounds.

So Stella Artois had now slipped into the “Premium” beer ABV mark of 5% that was common to all its main competitors and here it sat until this year when its alcohol content was lowered once again.

The BBC reported the latest move will save the brewer £8.6m a year in duty from off-trade sales of Stella alone.  The additional energy and raw material cost savings were not mentioned in any press releases by the World’s biggest brewer, whilst some analysts saw the move as chance to retain price points and shore up profitability of Stella.

According to The Grocer

The brewer would not give reasons for the reduction, but confirmed only beer sold in the UK was affected.

“Our decision to bring Stella Artois, Budweiser and Beck’s to the UK market at 4.8% abv during 2012 is in line with evolving UK category trends,” said a spokeswoman.

Dare I suggest that Stella Artois has lost its “Premier” status? Which is fine by me as long as the cost savings are passed on to the customer, or used to improve the quality of the product.

However one thing is certain these cuts have only encouraged Molson Coors to drop its Cobra brand from 5% to 4.8% ABV and Carlsberg to do the same with its Export lager.

So someone is losing out here. Is there a solution?

Well, one thing I have done whilst watching the Euro 2012 is made Kronenburg “shandies”. I found a case of Kronenburg 1664 stubbies (5.5% ABV) that I picked up from Calais on my way back from a trip across the Channel. One of these goes nicely in a pint glass topped up with some Stella from the 440ml can which just takes the edge off the 1664. As a consequence the Stella cans now live with the “mixers” – Once a top deck Premium beer, Stella is now relegated to the bottom shelf of the fridge with the tonics and a bottle of R Whites Lemonade.

The stubbies are gone now, so it is just a case of going back to Mother‘s Milk this Summer.

Physics – in a minute, it can be done

There are some things that you just experience as part of life. Now the study of life processes is Biology – everyone gets that. You can have first hand experience of most biological actions. Hey, think about it, you can summarize most key concepts of Biology on a A3 poster, bit of colouring in and there you go!  That is why girls love Biology, and also why I can say that without being rude, anyone can (and have done in my experience) teach it.

So Biology is the study of living things. Great.

So what is Chemistry? I was once told by a Physicist that Chemistry was “advanced cooking” – ‘So what was Home Economics then?’ I retorted.

‘Oh, that’s just dough bashing!’ came the reply.

My response was ‘Ok. So Physics must be Black magic then! – the study of things you cannot touch, feel or explain, such as magnetism and quantum theory” He took that as a badge of honour that he wore with pride.

He was the best A-level teacher I have ever worked with.

There is a different level of thought required to study Physics. That is why most girls do not choose it as an option. I will never forget the time when that same teacher came and unravelled the mess that I created in trying to explain the ideas behind Heisenbergs Uncertainty Principle to a very bright 15 year old girl (as it happened).

I had rambled on and tied her in knots, she did not even need to know this theory for her exam in the first place. Grabbing the Master of Black magic from next door’s classroom I shoved him in front of her. About a minute of time, a broken pencil and a mug of tea was all he needed to model his the ideas that he explained. All fixed. Panic over. A true master craftsman had done his work.

Anyway here are two sources of other great Physics teaching – click and enjoy. There are only two of you left now reading this anyway!

First up Sixty Symbols ………….

Then some inspiration in a ‘Physics in a minute’ video

Mad Men – Bootsy Collins on Rock school

Bootsy Collins is a crazy cat. The sort of bloke you would not sit next to on the tube unless you had to. Well he does dress terribly loud.

He appears here on a classic BBC2 series from the 1980’s called Rock School – the programmes sought to give musicians an insight on the technicalities of playing certain instruments with certain styles, be it Rock guitar, Reggae drums or in Bootsy’s case – Funk bass guitar.

He makes it look so simple!

It is just all about being on the “ONE”!

Now where am I heading on this post then? Well there are two things that stand out about Bootsy.

Firstly he has lived a life and seen the World, for instance you see him happily playing bass lines for the Great James Brown in a televised show in Italy. Notice the crowd clearly do not know what to make of the Godfather of Soul here as he struts on stage. Nevertheless Bootsy seems to be enjoying himself in the background.

Now that was years ago – but Bootsy keeps busy giving talks on his musical past and also helps to encourage  and support young musicians with his own University of Funk. The next clip has  Bootsy telling a story in one of his seminars about the relationship he had with James Brown.

So I say “Good on you Bootsy!” for giving it back.

And listening to Bootsy speak reminds me of, the second thing…….

PETER CROUCH – Mr “You know….” immediately to mind when you hear Bootsy speak. You know you end up counting them, you know, during any interview that Crouch gives on TV.

STELLARIUM.ORG

Got this website tip from a ‘pocket rocket’ in her own right. A good shout.

Great to help find those planets out there. Mind you, if you cannot find Venus at dusk at the moment you are doing something wrong!

Those of you with iPhones, yes you guessed correctly, the App also exists. Well it always would be wouldn’t it? It is quite impressive.

In fact Baz downloaded it on his phone in Origins last night. He got the “Er,……..Hello……you all right mate?” from the bloke stood next to him at the bar. Not really surprising as Baz held his phone up at the ceiling for him to squint at the screen which changed its stellar view as he pirouetted around. A look not enhanced by the fact that he was sipping café frappé  from a highball glass at the same time!

Screen shot from stellarium.org

JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR THE LINK